Overview
This guide walks through how to successfully reserve and connect to a Dispel VDI as a VDI user or organization user without admin privileges. If you are an organization admin or facility admin, please follow the guide linked below instead.
Pre-Requisites
Your administrator will first need to help you setup a user and give your user access to a Region, Facility, Devices, and Stack of VDIs.
If you are unsure about any of this, please reach out to your administrator.
If You are a MAC User, you will need to download Microsoft Remote Desktop.
Open the Apple App Store and download the free application
Microsoft Remote Desktop.
This guide assumes you already have an admin-approved access window. To learn how to request an access window, visit the guide below.
User Walkthrough
Reserving a Virtual Desktop
Log into the Dispel Dashboard.
Select the Stack you would like to reserve a Virtual Desktop from.
Choosing a Stack: If you are unsure of which stack to use to complete your work, contact your Admin.
No Desktops Available: If your desired Stack says "No desktops," then all virtual desktops within that stack are already reserved by other users. Reach out to your admin to increase the Stack's size.
Don't See This Page?: If you are not met with a page similar to below, then you will need to request an approved access window.
Connecting to a Virtual Desktop
Depending on your organization's configurations, there can be two methods of connecting to your Virtual Desktop: RDP or In-Browser.
RDP Connections: Click on the purple "Quick Connect" button to download an RDP file and automatically copy the VDI's password to your clipboard. We will walk through this method in depth below.
In-Browser Bastion Connections: Click on the link to open your VDI in-browser. For a more in-depth walkthrough on using in-browser VDIs, follow this guide.
💡 About the Quick Connect Page
On the Quick Connect page, you will see additional information about your VDI reservation including the VDI's IP, credentials, and time-to-live. Your virtual desktop will automatically destroy at this expiration date. Alternatively, you can destroy your virtual desktop to allow a new one to be built for other users in the Stack.
The downloaded RDP file will display differently based on your operating system and browser. In all cases, you will need to open the downloaded RDP file (
guest-user_<IP Address>.rdp).
You will be prompted to enter the credentials of your reserved VDI. Hit "Continue" to log in.
Your password is automatically copied to your clipboard. Paste it by pressing
Ctrl+VorCmd+V.If you lose your password from your clipboard, you can always re-copy it from the "Quick Connect" page.
You may get a pop-up asking you if you want to connect to an unknown host. Click
Continueand you will be connected to your virtual desktop.
Within a few seconds, your VDI will boot up.
If your organization has
Device ShortcutsorPassword Vaultingenabled, you will be able to use theDevice Shortcutsfolder on the desktop to easily connect to your approved devices.
